Vulcanizing apparatus



Feb. 13, R923.

T. MIDGLEY VULCANIZING APPARATUS Filed Apr. 2, 1921 5 sheets-sheet l on o Y QQ w o@ o o Y ATTORN Y T. MIDGLEY web 13, 1923.

VULCANIZING APPARATUS Filed Apr. 2, 1921 5 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORN Feb. M5, 923. 31,445,533

A T. MIDQL-EY VULCANIZING APPARATUS 4Filed Apr. 2, 192]. 5 sheets-sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORN Patented Feb. i3, i923..

UNET STATES' iat-5.533

PATENT @FFHCMH THOMAS MIDGLEY, OF HAMPDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, OF CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

VULCANIZING APPARATUS.

Application med April 2,

linvented certain new and useful Improve- 4lnents in a Yulcanizing Apparatus, of

.ing grooves which the following is a specification.'

My present invention relates to apparatus for vulcanizing rubber articles, and is particularly designed for shaping and curing the clincher bead fillers used in the construction of tire casings.

A clincher bead filler as known in the art is .a partially vulcanized rubber core, usually covered with bias-cut fabric shaped generally in the form of the bead portion of a clincher tire, and used as a filler or insert between the bead edges of the fabric or cord plies of which the carcass portion of a clincher tire casing is constructed. Such fillers have previously received theirspartial vulcanization in either straight or circular molds held together in a press the platens of which are heated as by steam jackets. By this method only short lengths of the beads could be cured at a time. It is the object of my invention to provide an apparatus by which long lengths of the beads can be cured as a continuous'operation, and which will greatly increase production. reduce the labor incident to their manufacture. and reduce waste by enabling beads to be lsevered from the long lengths' to the exact size desired without leaving the short pieces of scrap inevitable when beads are cured in the previously proposed methods. Other objects of my invention will appear from the description and claims.

My invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying .drawings. in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. Q is a detail of a portion of the operating mechanism:

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the heating connections; i

Fig. -L is a plan viewof a pressing apparatus for seatingthe bead filler in the form- Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanisi'n shown in Fig. 4, with portions of the frame removed: Y.

Fig. is a partial section showing the 1921. serial No. 457,987.

bead filler before the operation of the pressing apparatus, taken 011 line 6#6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. T isa partial section on line T-T of Fig. 5 butshowing the presser-foot in operative position;

Fig. h is a fragmentary plan view of the vulcanizing apparatus. partly in section, showing also the devices for delivering the vulcanized beads-l to suitable receptacles;

Fig. 9 is a view of a part of the delivery apparatus on line 9 9 of Fig. S:

Fig. l() is a view of a bead tiller prior to being formed and vulcanized;

Fig. 1l is a section of the same; and

Fig. 12 is a perspectiveview ofy a formed bead filler.

The machine comprises drums 20 and 21 .supported upon hollow shafts 22 and :23, and over the peripheries of which runs a flexible band or belt 2l.' preferably constructed of steel or other suitable metal. The drums have on each side flanges 25 .(see Figs. 6 and T) to guide the belt. and are provided on their peripheries with moldimr grooves :2G into which the unformed bead fillers a are forced as will lbe described and are pressed by the belt 2l during vulcanization. Preferably overflow grooves 2T are arranged adjacent the molding grooves to permit of the extrusion of surplus material from the molding grooves. In order to keepthe belt under `suitable tension so as to apply a moldmg pressure. one of the shafts 2:2 or 23. 23

as shown. is mounted in journals :2S adjustwhich the screw passes. the screw being thus caused to draw the journal 2S to the right as viewed in Eig. 1. resulting in a tightening of the belt. To loosen the'helt the nut is backed off`on the screw. permitting the journal to be moved to the left by the tension of the belt. A\s.-:ociat`ed with these primary elements are groups ofmechanisms which will now be described in their order. These groups comprise the driving mechanism for the drums. the devices for supplying to and delivering from the drums the lengths or ropes of bead fillers. the mechanism for pressing the unt'ormed bead fillv relative to shaft 39 may be fixed by an ad- `ers into the molding grooves prior to the .coming of the latter under the influence of the belt, and the arrangement for 'supplying heat to the fillers to be vulcanized.

Power for driving the drums is supplied, as through a pulley'35, to'a shaft 36 upon which is fixed a worm 37 meshing with a worm wheel 38 on a shaft 39. Upon shaft 39 are fixed radial guide ways 40 in which slide a crank-pin 41, the position of which modating different rubber compounds. A

pitman 43 connects the crank pin 41 with a pawl-carrier 44, which has opposed housings 45 and 46 each carrying a pair of pawls 47 pressed by s rings 48 into contact with a ratchet 49. ach pair of pawls is set so that when one pawlof the pair is in mesh with a tooth of the ratchet the other will lie midway between two teeth and hence will be inactive. The purpose of this construction is to permit adjustment of the rotation of the ratchet to bemore accurately controlled. By providing two pawls spaced as described the effect is -the same as if the ratchet were provided with doublel the number of teeth, whereas a much more rigid 4 construction is permitted. In

'i amounts which may be varied orderhto balance the strains .on the ratchet wheel, and to relieve the force onevtooth ldiametrically op osite pawls preferably operate together. lgawl carrier 44 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 50 upon which is fixed the ratchet 49. This shaft carries a worm 51 meshing with a worm wheel 52 on shaft 22 of drum 20. scribed drum 20 is intermittently rotated by by adjusting screw 42. D'runi 21 .is driven from drum 20 by the belt 24, although obviously theycould also be connectedv by other means if desired.

The uncured beadl filler material in the form of long ropes or strips is directed into the molding grooves 26 of drum 20 by horizontal rollers 55, 56 and vertical rollers 57,

acting on any all being journaled ina bracket 58 mounted on a casing 59 surrounding drum 20 for a purpose to be described. Material is similarly directed into the molding l,grooves of drum 21 by horizontal rollers 60, 61 and vertical rollers 62 journaled in a bracket 63 mounted on `a casing 64 21. These angularlymounted so that they may receive the lengths of bead filler material fromone 'i'he faster the speed By the mechanism de- I surrounding drum guldlng lrollers arerpreferablv.

side of the machine the top of Fig. 8). bead fillers are guided,

(as shown, that side at from drum 20 by vertical rollers 65 journaled -in a bracket 66 The cured-lengths of fillers' pass between series of rollers 69 and 70 respectively, these rollers being journaled receives the cured bead fillers from these guiding rollers -is arranged in two sets, mounted on frames As these are similar tion of one will suffice. v

On the end of intermittently rotated shaft 50 is a pulley 73 connected b a-'belt 74 with a pulley on a shaft 76. t its other end this shaft passes through 'a bearing bracket 77 and drives a vertical shaft 78 through bevel gears 79. A shaft is drivenfrcm shaft 78 through bevel gears 81. This shaft 80 drives the delivery mechanism moupted on frame 72 as will be described. A similar shaft driven by bevel gears (not shown) on the lower portion of shaft 78 drives the delivery mechanism on frame 71. Mounted on shaft 80 for rotation therewith vare delivery rolls 82, suitably shaped to conform to the shape of the bead fillers. Cooperating with each delivery roll is a roll 83 eccentrically journaled on'a. shaft 84 which may be rocked by a handle 85. An arm 86 projecting from the shaft 84 has pivoted 'thereto a rod 87 passing throuvh a guide 88 pivoted at 89 to a bracket 90. arm 86 away from guide 88.r The purpose of this construction is to provide a toggle action which, when the parts are in the position shown, will press roll 83 yieldingly against roll 82; and when the handle 85v is moved upwardly to disengage rolls 82 and 83. will hold theparts in the disengaged position.

Also mounted on shaft 80 is a spiral gear 91 meshing with a spiral gear 92onv a shaft 93 journaled in a bracket 94. By means of achain and sprocket connection' 95 shaft 93 drives a shafty 96 frame- 72 and serving to drive individual delivery units which deliver the cured bead fillers b to containers 97. lThebead fillers pass from rolls 82, 83 to rolls 98, 99 suitably of each set is fixed on. a

1n bracket 68. The delivery apparatus which 7l and 72 respectively. in character a descripspring on rod 87'presses theextending lengthwise of eccentrically mounted on a shaft 102-and -is connected by a spring pressed arm 103 to a guide 104 so as t givea toggle controlfor its handle' 105 substantially as described with reference to rolls 83 above. By this mechanism the several continuous lengths of cured A bead filler b are guided and the curing drum's. y

As the ropes offuncured bead fillers are delivered from directed into the molding grooves it is desirable to press them firmly into place before they come under the beltl 21. This is for the reason that if the materialis fed directly into the bight of the belt and the drum there will be a drawing down of the cross-section of the ller at this point., wit-h a consequent liability of undersized and imperfect fillers. If. however. the bead fillers are pressed home into the molding grooves before they contact with the belt they will he caused to completely lill the giooves without the drawing tendency. To press the fillers into the molding grooves I provide at the point of entrance of the bead fillers between the belt and each drum a mechanis-1n which will now be described. The pressure mechanism in the case of drum 20 is at the bottom and in the case of drum 21 at the top. As the construction of each is the same a description of the pressure mechanism associated with drum 21 will he given. and will suffice for both except in the particulars noted below.

Secured to casing G1 are guide-ways 110 in which runs a carriage 111 supporting a presser-foot .1712 shaped to conform to the circumference of the druln (Figs. 5 and 7). In Fig. T this presser-footl is shown in its operative position. and in Fig. 5 just after it has'been withdrawn from this position. In order to prevent anytendency of presserfoot 112 to canse rotation of the drum or to create unbalanced conditions a dummy presser-foot 113. acting on the outside of belt 21. is preferably provided on a `carriage 111 running in guide-ways 115 supported by casing G1 and inclined oppositely to guideways 110 as shown in Fig. 5. The oppositely disposed presser-feet are operated simultaneously by connecting rods'116 and 11T coupled to carriages 111 and 111 respectively by screws having intermediate nuts 11S and right and left handiportions 119 and 120 whereby the positions of the presscr-feet relative to their connecting rods may be separately adjusted. uts 121 serve to clamp the screws in adjusted position upon swivels 122 pivoted-at 123 to the carriages. Connectingr rod 116- is formed as a yoke embracingeccentrics 121 fixed on ashaft 125. Connecting rod 11T has a strap portion 126 which encircles an eccentric 12T on shaft 125 and is held in position on the connecting rod by adjusting wedges 128. Shaft 125 is fixed to the secondary element 129 of a one-revonltion clutch of any suitable design. the primary or power side of which is attached to. a pulley 130 which may be driven from any suitable source of power. The presser-feet acting upon the lower side of drum 20 are Inot shown on the drawings. but may be made similar to the presserfeet associated with drum 21. and are operated by `a shaft 131 to which is secured the secondary element 132 of a one-revolution clutch. The primary element of this clutch yis driven by a pulley 133 from any suitable source of power. It will be understood from the foregoing that the presser foot 112 l which acts upon the material to force it int-o the molding grooves is located between the band 21 and the surface of the drum; whereas the dummy foot 113 acts on the outside of the band. This is clearly shown in Fig. 5. In the case of foot 112 the band passes between the side members of the carriage 111, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Instead of driving the presser mechanisms from separate sources of power controlled by one revolution clutches they may be. if desired. geared directly to'the power shaft 36 in such a manner as to operate during the periods lof rest of the intermittently rotated drums. The construction embodying separate drives with clutches has. however. advantages in not subjecting the main drive to the variable load of the pressers. and of permitting the pressers to be driven by a belt drive which is flexible as compared to a geared drive while keeping the pressers in timed relation with the drums. The manner in which the pressers might be geared directly to the main power shaft will be obvious to any skilled mechanic. and I will therefore describe merely that form of mechanism in which separate drives are employed. i

The clutches for the two sets of vpresserfeet are controlled by a cam 135 mounted on shaft 39. acting at every revolution of the shaft to trip an arm 136 secured on a rock shaft 137. This cam is timed so that the tripping occurs justafter the movement of .the drums b v pawls 1T. so tha-t the resulting movement of the presser-feet will occur during the. period of rest of the drums Shaft 13T is provided with a crank 13S connected by a link 139 with an arm 110 on a second rock shaft 111 on the opposite side of the machine. Rock shaft 111 is provided with an arm 112 connected by a link 113 with a bell crank 111 which operates the trip slide 115 of the one revolution clutch. This type of clutch in many modifications is well known. particularly in the art of driving punch presses. and need not be described in detail here. It will suffice to say that it acts to rotate ther shaft 131 through one revolution. thereby causing the vpresser-feet to pass' through one complete cycle. and then to stop until the trip slide is again actuated... The Atrip slide 116 which actuates theone-revolution clutch associated with shaft 125 is similarly operated vby linkage from shaft 111. although the detalls of its connection therewith have not beenillustrated.

The arrangement of elements whereby heat issupplied to the fillers to vulcanize 60 lerably continued by heat suppl them will now be described. This-heat is derived from two' sources, the drums and the casings 59 and 64 surrounding the drums. The. drums are provided with annular chambers 150 through which steam is circulated by pipes 151 and 152, chambers 150 being divided between the pipes by a partition 153 so that the steam vwill be forced to circulate through the entire chamber. Pipes 151 and 152 are joined by elbows 154 with /pipes 155 and 156`-running` axially through the hollow interior of shafts 22 and 23 and connected, as by swiveled stufling boxes 157, ,with pipes 158'leading to anysuitable source of steam supply. A Casings 59 and 64 are provided bered withchamportions 159 having inlet and outlet pipes 160 and 161 and with chambered portions 162 having inlet and outlet pipes 163 and 164. The chambers 159 extend substantially around that portion of the drum coveredby the belt, while the chambers 162 provlde an additional heating space after the bead fillers have left. the belt, lin order to increase the speed with which the lillers may be cured. It is not necessary to have pressure exerted during the entire vulcani'zing operation provided it is maintained fora suiicient time to impart a molded form torthe beads, and by continuing the heating beyond the semi-clrcumference covered by the belt the speed of the drums may be ini creased while attaining the same degree-of and 3.

molding vu canized bead fillers vulcanization.

The manner of'operating this vulcanizing ap aratus will now be described. The unare supplied in any` form of round or of rubber 170 usually provided with a fabric coverin 171. These ropes are directed by guide ro ls-57. and 62 into place on the molding grooves 26 Fi 6) at g From this point the ropes are carthe intermittent rotation ofthe desired lengths in the ried by 'drums into the range of action ofthe presser-feet. -These force the rope into the grooves, causing them -to fill the latter as shown in Fig. -7 and getting them into position to pass under belt 2 4- without .danger of the drawing action mentioned above.

The formed material, heated both' by the steam circulated through the drums and the steam in the vunder a forming pressure by the belt during a half revolution of the drum. .After this period of pressure the formed bead Iillf l ers b have acquired their moldedform, even though they may not have reached the desired vulcanization. 4Vulcanization is prefied jointly by the drums and chambers 1 62 after the bead fillers have left the influence ofV the belt. At vsubstantially points 173 (-Figs. 1

:The apparatus .increase the. capacity of about the' point 172 in Figs. 1

chambers' 159, 'is kept and 3) the formed bead fillers are guided away from the drums` and are directed by the delivery apparatus to the receptacles 97. The speed of the the time of vulcanization, may be varied by adjusting the screw 42; and therefore under a standard steam pressure and temperature, the degree 'of vulcanization to be given to the bead fillers may be controlled. If desired, suitable stripping guides may be installed to assist in stripping the cured bead fillers from the molding grooves, and Scrapers may be used for keeping the belt and the molding grooves clean; but these, as

well as o'thermo'dications which'will sug-v gest themselves, I have not shown.

drums,` andv consequently tion that the apparatus chosen for purposes of illustration will accomplish the specific object of vulcanizing continuous lengths'of bead filling material in an efcient manner: in addition discloses certain improved-features of importance in the continuous vulcanization of rubber articles under molding pressure.N For example, to the apparatus I show a series of .circular molds, s'ome located asa pulley in one turn of a pressure belt and others located as a pulley in t e other turn o f the same belt. By this arrangement the clrcumference'of the molds may be small enough and the vwidth of the belt small enough to give agood belt pressure around l all .of 'them for closing themolds. The belt asstated is preferably of steel, and is heated by one' drum before. it returns to the other drum. This-coordination .of the apparatus enables me to. improve the vulcanizing conditions in continuous operation as compared to putting the same molding capacity all on one drum of either greater width or greater circumference.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising 'a drum having a plurality of an# nular molding grooves in its periphery and annular overflow cavities disposed betweensaid molding grooves', anda Hexible endless band tightly encircling a portion of the' periphery of the drum and adapted to force.

material to be molded into said moldingf' grooves.

2. A vulcanizing apparatuscomprising a drum, a iiexible band tightlyelclrcling a portion of the drum, means for heatin ma-v terial pressed between the drum an '3. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising al I the band, a shaft adapted tobe driven at a` subinterposed between the be lvaried -tovary the rotation of the drinn. whereby the time of vulcanization may be varied.

l. An apparatus of the class described comprising a drum provided withaniiular molding grooves. a flexible band encircling a portion of the peripheiv of the drum and adapted to rotate therewith. and means for' forcing material into the molding grooves before such material is brought under the band by the rotation of the drum.

An apparatus of the class described comprising a drum ,provided with annular molding grooves. a flexible band encircling a portion of the periphery ofthe drum and adapted to rotate therewith` means for causing intermittent rotation of the drum. and a reciprocating presser-foot constructed and arranged to force material during the. periods of rest ofthe drum into the molding grooves before such material is brought under the band by the rotation of the drinn.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising a drinn provided with annular molding grooves, a flexible bandiencireling a portion of the periphery of the drum andv adapted to rotate therewith. means for caus ing intermittent rotation of the drum. a,`re ciprocating presser-foot ,angularly disposed with relation to the surface of the drinn and constructed and arranged to force material vduring the period of`rest ofthe druminto the molding grooves before such material is brought under the band by the rotation of the drum, and a dummy presser-foot disposed at an angle opposite to that of the first named presser-foot and constructed and arranged to act upon the drum simultaneously therewith. l

7. An apparatus of the class described comprising a drum. a flexible band lencircling a portion of the periphery of the drum, means for heating the drinn, a casing surrounding t-lie drum adjacent the region of contact of the band with `the drum and provided with means whereby it maybe heated, and a secondvcasing provided With means whereby itmay be heated and surrounding a vportion of the periphery of the drum not v covered by the band.

8. apparatus of the class described comprising a drum provided with annular molding grooves, a flexible band encircling a portion of the periphery ofthe drum and adapted to rotate therewith, means for guiding material to said grooves, and means sepf 9.1n a machine of the character ile scribed. pressure molding means for plastic material.'mechanism to partiallyv mold said material. and devices operable to cause. said mechanism to act on said material and feed it to said means in partially molded Jorm.

10. An apparatus otl the class described comprising a pair of drums each provided with a plurality of annular molding grooves. a flexible band encircling both drums and a plurality of delivery devices constructed and arranged to deliver the material from the several grooves of each'drum into separate receptacles.

11. An apparatus of the class described. comprising two spaced drums each provided with a pluralityv of annular molding grooves. a flexible band encircling both drains and closing the molding grooves throughout a portion of the periphery of the drums and angularly disposed guides for directing the material away from the grooves in a direction to one sideotthe plane off-the drums.

l2. An apparatus of the class described comprising two spaced drums each provided with a plurality of annulaiinolding grooves in its periphery. a flexible band encircling both drums and closing the molding grooves thioughouta portion of the periphery of the drums. two delivery units leading from the space between the drums in diverging relation. each unit comprising a plurality of spaced delivery devices constructed and arranged to lead away the material from the several 'grooves of the drums, and means for driving said delivery devices.

13. JA. vulcanizing apparatus comprising in combination a heating drum. a metal belt tensioned about a portion. ot' said drum to press the material against the drum during vulcaniza-tion` means to rotate the drum and move the belt to and from its pressure contact, and means to heat the belt after it has left said drum and before it returns to said drum.

14. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising 4in combination two heating drums. a metal l belt tensioned about said drums, at least one of said drums being adapted to vulcan-ize a continuous length of rubber material between its surface and said belt. and each of said drums being adapted to heat said belt for more e'ective action with the vulcanizing drum.

15. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising in combination two heating drums and a metal belt ltensioned to travel in pressure Contactr against both drums. said drums be .ing spaced apart sufficiently for feeding rubber material between the belt and each drum. guides between the drums for the rubber material as it enters and leaves the drums, all constructed and arranged for said heating drums to continuously vulcamze indefinite lengths of rubber material under the pressure of the belt While the latter is heated by both drums.

16. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising in combination two heating drums of subbyrubber material fed towards the molding surfaces Will be forced towards the undercui; portions by the bight of the belt during its turning movement about both drums.

17. A vulcanizing apparatus comprising in combination a series of open faced circular molds, means to heat said molds, an endless belt for'A closing said molds, some of said molds located at one tui-nef the belt and others located4 at theopposite turn of the belt, means 'to rotate the belt and moldsto gether for feeding material to and from the molds, and a'device for tensioning'the belt against the molds whereby the pressure cond1tions for a given belt and moldcapacity are improved.

218. A'rubber vulcanizing` apparatus comprisingA a series of individual molds each open throughout a complete circumference, means to heat said molds, one endless belt for closing all of said molds over a part oftheir openings, some of said molds located as a pulley at onev turn of the belt and others located as a pulley at the opposite turn of the belt, -means to rotate the belt and molds together, means to increase the pressure of the belt against material presented'to the belt at the openings of the molds around both turns of the belt, all constructed and arranged to increase the capacity and pressure of the apparatus for vulcanizing.

'rHoMAs MIDGLEY. 

